Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Protest Poster”

In this activity, students create a poster to inform people around the world about the conditions in Sierra Leone.

At the conclusion of the memoir, Mariatu returns to Sierra Leone and is shocked by the poverty, living conditions, and destruction caused by the civil war. She decides that while she doesn’t have hands, she still has a voice, indicating that she will do what she can to help the people of Sierra Leone.

Contribute to Mariatu’s effort to reform Sierra Leone by researching conditions there, creating a poster to protest the living conditions, and sharing your poster with the class. Point to examples from the memoir to support your cause. Use the questions below to guide your design.

• What does poverty look like in Sierra Leone?
• What struggles have the people of Sierra Leone faced?
• What has the government in Sierra Leone done to hinder the people’s recovery?
• What are some of the needs of Sierra Leone’s people?
• An estimated 10,000 people lost limbs in the Sierra Leone civil war. What services will they need?
• How can you motivate others to assist in the cause of helping the people of Sierra Leone?